The day book. (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917, February 08, 1913, Image 19

Image and text provided by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, Urbana, IL

' lof passing along the road well,lives were cheap in Hunstaple,and the black river knew its ownsecrets. The woman shudderedand turned and closed the door.Presently a knock outside afaint tap, sounding almost likethe peck of a bird upon the telegraph posts that studded thelandscape, startled her from thereverie into which she had fallen.She sprang to her feet and stoodalert, listening. It sounded again,and cautiously the woman unbarred the door. Outside stooda man.One glance at his face and shewas reeling backward against thewall of the little narrow hall. Theman grinned and stepped insidenoiselessly. As he did so he removed his hat and glanced roundhim. The lamp within the parlordrew" him as it had drawn thewhite moths that fluttered uponthe cheap table beneath it. Heentered. Now it could be seenthat he was in the last stage ofdecrepitude: his clothes hung inloose rags upon his bony frame,and his eyes were the blearedeyes of the dipsomaniac."Well, Jane," he said, a littlesheepishly, '"don't be scared ofme, my girl, like you used to be.I ain't drunk now, though I dolook like a hobo. I heard youwere living here and-that yourman worked away all night ; so Ithought 'there wouldn't be noharm in paying you a friendlyvisit, Jane, my dear."The woman had followed himp and now stood facing him onthe opposite side of the table,which ' had placed instinctively between them."What do you want?" shegasped. "Why have you come?Haven't you wronged meenough?" she continued, clenching and unclenching her fists inimpotent anger. "Come to the'point what do you want, Jim?"'The man grinned again and satdown. "Well, I must say youain't over cordial, Jane," he mumbled. "I heard you were herequite by chance from a miningfellow in the state penitentiary.who was my cell mate. 'Ho!'thinks I, 'she used to be my wife.And is, too, for the matter of that,since the knot was never untied.'Say Jane." he interposed, "whatwould your man say if he foundout that you wasn't his at-all?""He'd kill us both." she gasped,thinking of her husband's faithin her. That he should ever learnof this was impossible. It mustbe made- impossible for the sake oftheir baby."Well. Jane, I don't want tohurt your feelin's," the trampgrumbled, filling his pipe with afoul-smelling weed which, whenlit, diffused a rank aroma throughthe tiny house. "I ain't sayingas I treated you altogether on thelevel during the six months youand me lived together. Say, whydidn't you get a divorce?" hewent on curiously."I couldn't; you know that. Ifound help in the churGh whenyou ill-treated me and left me.""Ho! Then you're sinningagainst the church as well asagainst me," he said tauntingly.AArfM